Sir Ian McKellen and Lesley Manville's British thriller The Critic is now available to watch on Prime Video.
Adapted by Oscar-nominated writer Patrick Marber from Anthony Quinn's novel Curtain Call, the 2024 film stars McKellen as Jimmy Erskine, the most feared and vicious theatre critic in 1934 London.
However, when Jimmy finds himself in the crosshairs of the Daily Chronicle's new owner David Brooke (Mark Strong), he strikes a Faustian pact with struggling actor Nina Land (Gemma Arterton) who is desperate to win his favour.
Manville plays Nina's supportive mother Annabel, while other cast members include Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai, Ben Barnes and Nikesh Patel.
If you missed the film in cinemas following its release in September or just fancy a rewatch, The Critic was added to Prime Video in UK and Ireland over the weekend.
Related: Best film and TV tours for 2025
What to Read Next
The Critic holds a soft 52% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 93 reviews, with critics praising the cast's performances despite the film's "flat" second half.
"Everyone's a critic, and Ian McKellen is better than most at playing one, but even his character would give this rote melodrama a so-so review," the site's critical consensus reads.
In Digital Spy's review of the film, we said "McKellen wields his natural born charisma to debaucherous effect", adding: "If only The Critic itself remained as watchable as the cruel critic at the heart of it all."
Related: LEGO's epic Lord of the Rings set falls to lowest-ever price in Amazon Spring Day Deal
In other news, McKellen revealed last year that Gandalf will appear in future Lord of the Rings movies, with two live-action films – The Hunt for Gollum and a currently unnamed film – in the works.
"I've just been told there are going to be more films, and Gandalf will be involved, and they hope that I'll be playing him," McKellen explained.
"When? I don't know. What the script is? It's not written yet. So they better be quick!"
The Critic is now available to watch on Prime Video.
Social Executive, Entertainment Portfolio After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022, where she wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona continued contributing to the site as a freelance reporter, becoming social executive for the Hearst UK entertainment portfolio in summer 2025. Iona now leads the DS social channels, covering red carpets with stars such as Paul Mescal, Austin Butler, and more.
